Marine reunited with K-9 comrade

May 17, 2013
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Marine Sgt. Ross Gundlach, of Madison, Wis., sits with Casey, a four-year-old yellow labrador that he worked with while deployed in Afghanistan, as the two are reunited during a surprise ceremony on May 17 in Des Moines, Iowa. / Charlie Neibergall, AP

by Jens Manuel Krogstad, USA TODAY

by Jens Manuel Krogstad, USA TODAY

DES MOINES, Iowa -- For 333 days, Marine Sgt. Ross Gundlach had been separated from Casey, a Labrador retriever with whom he had forged a bond in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan's Helmand Province, sweeping roads for bombs.

On Friday the two were together again in a surprise reunion ceremony that left most teary-eyed.

"About midway through (the tour), I told her if we made it out alive I'd do whatever it took to find her," said Gundlach, 25.

The pair were separated after their tours ended. Gundlach enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, his hometown. Casey, 4, went on to serve in the Iowa State Fire Marshal's office.

But Gundlach always remembered his vow to Casey and began lobbying to adopt the dog. Gundlach traveled to Iowa, believing he would have to plead his case before a government committee to get Casey back.

Instead, Gundlach and Casey were reunited in a ceremony attended by Gov. Terry Branstad, State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds and other top state officials.

"I owe her," said Gundlach, who has adopted Casey. "I want to take care of her. ... I'll just try to give her the best life she can have from here on out."

Gundlach and Casey last saw each other on June 3.

Reynolds said he wasn't surprised Gundlach made the trip to Iowa to lobby for the dog.

"The first time I talked to him, â?¦ (Gundlach) said, 'I would swim to Japan to get my dog,'" Reynolds said.

The reunion was made possible by the Iowa Elks Association, which donated $8,500 to replace Casey with another dog at the State Fire Marshal's office.

Casey's General Store paid for Marine Sgt. Kyle Williams to travel to present Casey to Gundlach. The trio served together in Afghanistan.

Despite their time apart, it appeared Casey remembered Gundlach well.

Her paws slipped out from under her from excitement when they saw each other, and her tail wagged throughout the 30-minute presentation.

Casey placed her front paws on Gundlach's shoulders and licked his face as Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds explained the dangers Gundlach and Casey faced during more than 150 missions together.

"It touches your heart," said Elaine Haugen, 68, the wife of a Vietnam War veteran who attended the event. "We really have no way of knowing what those two experienced."

The idea for the reunion came after Gundlach sent a letter to the state in January explaining his history with Casey. He said he would like to adopt the dog even if it didn't happen until years later when Casey was retired.

To keep the plan a secret until the last moment, Gundlach was told he would sit in on a military ceremony in honor of Armed Forces Day, which is Saturday.

Gundlach said he didn't realize what was happening until Ray Reynolds, the state fire marshal, made the introduction and called for Casey to walk out.

Gundlach wiped his hands down his face, took a deep breath and walked toward Casey. The tense expression on his face relaxed into a smile.

Gundlach on several occasions told a crowd of reporters that many other veterans are more deserving of attention. But on Friday, the spotlight was his.

When asked what Casey meant to him, he paused to find the right words.

"A lot. A lot," he said. "I'm not going to cry in uniform, but yeah ... she means a lot."